Spicy Koko Mai Gaya with Fruits

Nigerian breakfast option

From the north of Nigeria to the South, people enjoy fermented pap whether it’s from corn, guinea corn or millet. Something tells that even when our village dwellers and our grandparents did not know the science or benefit of cereals in providing slow releasing energy, they knew that starting your day with cereals was great for the body.

I have always known Koko as a common breakfast eaten both at home and on the street in the northern part of Nigeria and so today I present to you this cereal dumpling and pap all in one bowl. The dumpling is called Gaya in Hausa. You can make this cereal meal with white or yellow corn pap or millet pap.

I have brought my twist to this breakfast favourite by adding spices and some dried fruits. The spiciness of the ginger and pepper and the nice aroma from the cloves brings an interesting new dimension to this meal When I tasted the pap I just wished I was having this on a rainy day. Why not start your day on a spicy note with this Spicy Koko Mai Gaya with fruits (Fermented pap with corn dumpling)?

 

 

Recipe

You will need: 

1/2 cup Thick raw Corn pap

1 table spoon Honey or enough for your sweetness level

1/2 teaspoon Yaji (combination of dry pepper, dry ginger and cloves)

1 table spoon black currant

1 table spoon chopped dry date

2 cups Water

How to make Spicy Aromatic Koko?

1. Season the pap slurry with half the Yaji and one teaspoon honey. Mix the mixture very well and mould into tiny balls, called Gaya in Hausa
2. Bring water to boil in a pot, add the currants and dates to boil and soften
3. Drop the balls into the boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes. The smaller the balls, the quicker they cook.
4. Mix about 1 tablespoon raw pap with 2 table spoons of water, stir rapidly into the dumpling mix cook for 1 minute and your pap is ready to eat.
5. Add more honey to taste and sprinkle remaining Yaji on the pap and serve hot. The Koko Mai Gaya is usually eaten with Akara.